What Families can Do

Missionary Families

Very much more might be done for Christ if all who have the light of truth would practice the truth. There are whole families who might be missionaries, engaging in personal labor, toiling for the Master with busy hands and active brains, devising new methods for the success of His work. There are earnest, prudent, warm-hearted men and women who could do much for Christ if they would give themselves to God, drawing near to Him, and seeking Him with the whole heart.

My brethren and sisters, take an active part in the work of soul-saving. This work will give life and vigor to the mental and spiritual powers. Light from Christ will shine into the mind. The Saviour will abide in your hearts, and in His light you will see light.

Can not be Done by ProxyConsecrate yourselves wholly to the work of God. He is your strength, and He will be at your right hand, helping you to carry on His merciful designs. By personal labor reach those around you. Become acquainted with them. Preaching will not do the work that needs to be done. Angels of God attend you to the dwellings of those you visit. This work can not be done by proxy. Money lent or given will not accomplish it. Sermons will not do it. By visiting the people, talking, praying, sympathizing with them, you will win hearts. This is the highest missionary work that you can do. To do it, you will need resolute, persevering faith, unwearying patience, and a deep love for souls.

Find access to the people in whose neighborhood you live. As you tell them of the truth, use words of Christlike sympathy. Remember that the Lord Jesus is the Master-worker. He waters the seed sown. He puts into your minds words that will reach hearts. Expect that God will sustain the consecrated, unselfish worker. Obedience, childlike faith, trust in God,—these will bring peace and joy. Work disinterestedly, lovingly, patiently, for all with whom you are brought into contact. Show no impatience. Utter not one unkind word. Let the love of Christ be in your hearts, the law of kindness on your lips.

It is a mystery that there are not hundreds at work where now there is but one. The heavenly universe is astonished at the apathy, the coldness, the listlessness of those who profess to be sons and daughters of God. In the truth there is a living power. Go forth in faith, and proclaim the truth as if you believed it. Let those for whom you labor see that to you it is indeed a living reality. 9T 40-42.

Relieve Physical Necessities

Christ’s example must be followed by those who claim to be His children. Relieve the physical necessities of your fellow-men, and their gratitude will break down the barriers, and enable you to reach their hearts. Consider this matter earnestly. As churches, you have had opportunity to work as laborers together with God. Had you obeyed the word of God, had you entered upon this work, you would have been blessed and encouraged, and would have obtained a rich experience. You would have found yourselves, as the human agencies of God, earnestly advocating a scheme of saving, of restoration, of salvation. This scheme would not be fixed, but progressive, moving on from grace to grace, and from strength to strength.

The Lord has presented before me the work that is to be done in our cities. The believers in these cities are to work for God in the neighborhood of their homes. They are to labor quietly and in humility, carrying with them wherever they go the atmosphere of heaven. If they keep self out of sight, pointing always to Christ, the power of their influence will be felt.

It is not the Lord’s purpose that ministers should be left to do the greatest part of the work of sowing the seeds of truth. Men who are not called to the ministry are to labor for their Master according to their several ability. As a worker gives himself unreservedly to the service of the Lord, he gains an experience that enables him to work more and more successfully for the Master. The influence that drew him to Christ helps him to draw others to Christ. 9T 127, 128. 14

Gospel Work for Women

Women as well as men can engage in the work of hiding the truth where it can work out and be made manifest. They can take their place in the work at this crisis, and the Lord will work through them. If they are imbued with a sense of their duty, and labor under the influence of the Spirit of God, they will have just the self-possession required for this time.

The Saviour will reflect upon these self-sacrificing women the light of His countenance, and this will give them a power that will exceed that of man. They can do in families a work that men can not do, a work that reaches the inner life They can come close to the hearts of those whom men can not reach. Their work is needed. Discreet and humble women can do a good work in explaining the truth to the people in their homes. The word of God thus explained will do its leavening work, and through its influence whole families will be converted. 9T 128, 129.

A Precious Experience for Our Sisters

Many of our sisters who bear the burden of home responsibilities have been willing to excuse themselves from undertaking any missionary work that requires thought and close application of mind; yet often this is the very discipline they need to enable them to perfect Christian experience. They may become workers for God by distributing to their neighbors tracts and papers that correctly represent our faith, and by sending these silent messengers through the mails to those who are willing to read and investigate. As they thus do what they can for others, they will gain many precious experiences.

My sisters, do not become weary in the distribution of our literature. This is a work you may all engage in successfully, if you are but connected with God. Before approaching your friends and neighbors, or writing letters of inquiry, lift the heart to God in prayer. All who with humble heart take part in this work, will be educating themselves as acceptable workers in the vineyard of the Lord.

God Calls YouLet every sister who claims to be a child of God, feel a responsibility to help all within her reach. The noblest of all attainments may be gained through practical self-denial and benevolence, for others’ good. Sisters, God calls you to work in the harvest field, and to help gather in the sheaves. R. & H. Dec. 10, 1914.

Training Young Missionaries

The children should be educated in such a way that they will have sympathy for the aged and afflicted, and lend all the help in their power to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and distressed. They should be taught to be diligent in the missionary work; and from their earliest years, principles of self-denial and sacrifice for the good of others should be inculcated, that they may be laborers together with God. H. M. W. 7, 8.

Will You Help

What is the great work before us?—The proclamation of the gospel, with its life-saving principles, to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. Let no one remain in idleness because he can not do the same class of work that the most experienced of God’s servants are doing. Because you can not be in the highest place, will you do nothing? Because you can not trade upon pounds, will you refuse to trade upon the one pound? Because you have not five talents, will you put your one talent in a napkin and hide it in the earth? Because you can not work for the multitude, will you refuse to work for individuals? Do the smaller duties waiting for you. Thus you will help those who are bearing heavy responsibilities.

Use your talents, be they ever so few. God has certainly given you a work to do for Him. And in all you do, keep the Lord Jesus ever before you. Do all to the glory of His name. You belong to God, and you must do His work. Your life is sustained by the Giver of life. Your every capability, therefore, is to be put to use in His service. By using your talents faithfully and wisely, you are gaining power to do better work, to bear heavier responsibilities.

Whatever you accomplish, be it little or much, leave it with God, remembering that it is not left for man to measure the work or the reward of his fellow-men. The Lord Jesus will give you the wages that are your due. Your reward will be in accordance with the spirit in which your work was done. Purity of motive, and earnest desire to glorify God, will bring to the earnest worker the same reward that comes to the one who accomplishes more. It is the principles by which the worker is governed that determine the reward. MS.-72-1902.

Recruits from Among the Children and the Uneducated

God will move upon men in humble positions to declare the message of present truth. Many such will be seen hastening hither and thither, constrained by the Spirit of God to give the light to those in darkness. The truth is as a fire in their bones, filling them with a burning desire to enlighten those who sit in darkness. Many, even among the uneducated, will proclaim the word of the Lord. Children will be impelled by the Holy Spirit to go forth to declare the message of heaven. The Spirit will be poured out upon those who yield to His promptings. Casting off man’s binding rules and cautious movements, they will join the army of the Lord. 7T 26, 27.

Daily Opportunities for Seed Sowing

My brethren and sisters, study your plans; grasp every opportunity of speaking to your neighbors and associates, or of reading something to them from books that contain present truth. Show that you regard as of first importance the salvation of the souls for whom Christ has made so great a sacrifice.

In working for perishing souls, you have the companionship of angels. Thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand angels are waiting to co-operate with members of our churches in communicating the light that God has generously given, that a people may be prepared for the coming of Christ. «Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.» Let every family seek the Lord in earnest prayer for help to do the work of God.

Do not pass by the little things, and look for a large work. You might do successfully the small work, but fail utterly in attempting a large work, and fall into discouragement. Take hold wherever you see that there is work to be done. Whether you are rich or poor, great or humble, God calls you into active service for Him. It will be by doing with your might what your hands find to do that you will develop talent and aptitude for the work. And it is by neglecting your daily opportunities that you become fruitless and withered. This is why there are so many fruitless trees in the garden of the Lord.

In the home circle, at your neighbor’s fireside, at the bedside of the sick, in a quiet way you may read the Scriptures, and speak a word for Jesus and the truth. Precious seed may thus be sown that will spring up, and bring forth fruit after many days. 9T 129, 130.

Benefits of a Thorough Education

If placed under the control of His Spirit, the more thoroughly the intellect is cultivated, the more effectively it can be used in the service of God. The uneducated man who is consecrated to God and who longs to bless others can be, and is, used by the Lord in His service. But those who, with the same spirit of consecration, have had the benefit of a thorough education, can do a much more extensive work for Christ. They stand on vantage ground.

The Lord desires us to obtain all the education possible, with the object in view of imparting our knowledge to others. None can know where or how they may be called to labor or to speak for God. Our heavenly Father alone sees what He can make of men. There are before us possibilities which our feeble faith does not discern. Our minds should be so trained that if necessary we can present the truths of His word before the highest earthly authorities in such a way as to glorify His name. We should not let slip even one opportunity of qualifying ourselves intellectually to work for God. C. O. L. 333, 334.

The Lord’s Army

The Lord will fit men and women—yes, and children, as He did Samuel—for His work, making them His messengers. He who never slumbers or sleeps watches over each worker, choosing his sphere of labor. All heaven is watching the warfare which, under apparently discouraging circumstances, God’s servants are carrying on. New conquests are being achieved, new honors won, as the Lord’s servants, rallying round the banner of their Redeemer, go forth to fight the good fight of faith. All the heavenly angels are at the service of the humble, believing people of God, and as the Lord’s army of workers here below sing their songs of praise, the choir above joins with them in thanksgiving, ascribing praise to God and His Son. 7T 17.

This World a Training School

This world is a training school for the higher school, this life a preparation for the life to come. Here we are to be prepared for entrance into the heavenly courts. Here we are to receive and believe and practice the truth, until we are made ready for a home with the saints in light. 8T 200.